Ψ Scions of the Lost Empire: Tales of the Modern Merfolk Ω (Sign-Up & OCC)

“It all started with the Orichalcum, a metal ore that lead to our downfall. It could only be found on our isle of Atlantis and we were the envy of all the known world. So envious, that Athens invaded to take claim over the pink metal. They held the isle for a few months and pushed the people to mine the ore at a fevered pace. Ignoring the advisers heeds to slow down, they dug too far and destabilized the isle, sending it into the sea. The Athenians fled with all the boats, leaving the Atlantians to drown. Many perished, the few that survived were changed into something else. Legends says the gods had taken pity of the unfortunate souls and blessed them with the ability to adapt and survive the crushing depths of the sea. Despite what the legends say, we did come from Atlantis and we can change our bodies to live on land and sea. In the sea, our lower bodies are adapted into a single fusiform shape that provide fast swimming with help from a powerful fluke for propulsion. It is believed that because we took on characteristics of fish, that is why parts of our bodies are covered in scales. Another example is that we have learned that our blood possesses enzymes that cold dwelling fish have that keep them from freezing, explains why we don't need blubber to keep warm.We possess gills and lungs, being able to breathe easily in either terrain. We don't have a scientific explanation as how we can change our bodies from an aquatic one to that of a human, magic is our only guess. To change for land dwelling, we crawl out of the sea and begin to dry. Our scales, webbing, gills and tails recede to revel a humanoid body fit for land dwelling but we must hydrate our bodies regularly to prevent dehydration and severe epidermal damage. The best method is to submerge ourselves in a bath for an hour for every eighteen hours they are out of our undersea homes. Another odd quark that makes sense if you think about it, we are telepathic with each other and can sense our own kin. We may not know where in the world our kin are exactly, we just know they are nearby.In your world, a mermaid is nothing more than a fanciful tale for the young and innocent. However, there is an underworld that knows otherwise. For the right price, a specialist can hunt down these elusive creatures for various services like medicinal ingredients and zoological specimens for the exotic collector. How they hunt these creatures is trade secret to minimize competition from stealing their "livelihood" and many newcomers to the game that steal these trade secrets are often fish food when they least expect it. Among these hunters, a legend is told that if they are lucky to capture the right mermaid, she can lead them to Atlantis where the wealth of the Merfolk lie. These are legends of course and usually only the most elder of hunters believe this.Preyed upon by greedy hunters, we tend to live in isolation either in the sea or tiny coastal towns to rely information of the "Surface World" to the rest of our kin. It is a lonely existence for those that choose to be the clans' eyes and ears on the surface, but its needed. Knowledge is power, and knowing our enemies is what has kept us alive into these modern times. It disgusts us to know this but being magical creatures, our body parts can do miraculous things like rejuvenate an aging man to robustness, heal a devastating wound and bestow visions and madness. We have horror stories of one of our sisters being used to draw enemy ships to crash into jagged stones with her voice alone. Another sister was bond to a sea cave to bless its surround village with bountiful fish and prosperity. To these wretches, we are weapons and drugs to be sold to the highest bidder. This should explain why we don't like you."

~ A detailed explanation to a researchers questions by his captive Merfolk subject.

Outside of Fortune, Maine, a small fishing town is a suspicious vessel tied anchor far from the harbor docks. The local fishermen are advised to not go near the vessel and ignore them as they are performing scientific experiments on the environment. In the only bar that the town can call its own, the patrons whisper of more nefarious activities that can be taken as nonsense. The inhabitants are understandably unnerved by this vessel but try not to dwell too much on it as they have their livelihoods and...secrets to trouble themselves with.
The Harbor Town of Fortune, Maine is one of the most prosperous fishing locales off the eastern coast and the envy of any fishermen unlucky to fish anywhere else. But beneath the façade of a sleepy village, a curse runs rampant. With only a small hand-full of those that know the truth working to keep it that way and hide the nature of problems that continue to plague the village. Four families suffer from the curse. Although each families curse if different, it all stems from the same source. The fear of the truth coming out of how they were cursed is so great, not even all members of the suffering families knows the truth. Suffering in ignorance.

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Medicinal and Magical Uses

Eyes: Ingesting them fresh and raw can induce visions that may or may not be true. A feeling of being "high" is accompanied, making it a substance that is abused heavily.

Heart: Dried and steeped like a tea, ingesting the heart can like Viagra to men and women. Can be also used in love potions, (normally induces obsessive desire).

Bones: Ground into a fine powder, mixing it into a beverage can increase a humans musculature and strength.

Scales: Ground into a fine powder and mixed into glass, can make lens that pick out the aura signature of Merfolks from Humans. However, humans that had a mermaid in their lineage can have the same aura but not be one of the Merfolk. It is rare but it does happen.

Tears: When a Merfolk weeps, their tears can heal wounds and illness but not cancer.

The Curses in Fortune

The curse of flesh: The Jol family suffer this curse and are able to explain easier with the growing knowledge of medicine. Some members of the family develop scales, baldness and webbed hands and feet. They live in isolation from the village and continue with the help of a vast wealth accumulated from smart investing.

The curse of Hunger: The Lancaster family suffer from being unable to derive much nourishment from food or drink and are sickly. They discovered from some crazy experimentation, that blood and liver is the only thing that gives them health and relief from sensitivity to the sun. Victims state that all food except blood and liver tastes like ash in their mouths.

The curse of the Pale: The Wards suffer from complete blindness and albinoism.

The curse of the First Born: The Cavendish suffer differently in that the first born son dies of their twenty-first birthday. On that night, the victim hears a song and falls into a trance akin to sleep-walking and walk into the sea at midnight to drown. First borns are often kept locked in the basement to prevent them from leaving. Eventually the curse will end for that victim when they marry a chaste woman of great virtue. Why that is, no one has figured out. If the man should ever commit adultery, they will suffer the curse anew. The Cavendish pray for female children.

More options

Character Name: Ruari McGinnis
Alias: Red
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Race: Atlantian
Appearance: Has long red, mostly straight hair that is normally braided out of her way. Sea blue eyes and soft fair skin. When in her aquatic form, her scales are turquoise with black and silver stripes. She has a beauty mark above her left eyebrow like the rest of her family. Wears a white halter styled bikini top under a cobalt fish-net hoodie she found floating outside of a Manhattan club. Carries a water-proof satchel and stainless steel knife. When in human form, she normally wears a sundress and sandals unless its winter. At that time, she bundles up lightly to avoid stares. Wears an orichalcum ring, two silver earrings in each ear and an antique pocketwatch hangs from her neck, bears a trident on cover. She found the timepiece in a sunken ship.
Height: 5'8"
DOB: December 21st
POB: Outside Scottland
Personality: Is a bright woman that has a bad case of curiosity and stubbornness. Normally cautious of people, she can be genuinely friendly when holding them at arm's length away. New things interest her greatly with a child-like awe and somethings has "Ooo, Shiny" moments that makes her lose focus on what she was doing at the time. Although stubborn, she can be reasoned with rationally.
History: Born to Rowena McGinnis and an unknown father, she grew up with her clan wandering the sea like nomads. Her mother keeps the identity of her father tight-lipped and Ruari eventually gave up trying to find out from her but continues to pester her relatives. She is close with her cousins and often accompanied them in their youth. When her elder cousin Finnegan decided to start rescuing their kin from captivity, she came along to watch out for him as he could be hot-headed and develop tunnel-vision.
On their last mission, their plans went awry and she was captured by a hunter that was more interested in interrogating her about the whereabouts of Atlantis then selling her to the Blackmarket. She escaped him when she saw an opportunity and has been on the run from him ever since as he seems to be just one-step behind her. His obsession frightens her and she dares not make contact with her family out of fear that he will find them as well.
Likes: Discovering new things, her family and being free to swim the sea
Dislikes: Hunters and being hindered.
Sexuality: Bi-sexual
Occupation: None but does have enough working knowledge of the Surface World to pass by unnoticed.

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Height/Length: Humanoid- 5 ft. exactly
Mermaid- About 2 1/2 feet (torso)
Tentacles are about twice as a long as her torso

Weight: Humanoid- 115 lbs.
Mermaid- 96 lbs.

Appearance:

[Blue Ringed Octopus for reference]

Bio:

Nemo may be a siren but she rarely sings in fact it's been years since she has. She's a shy siren at that and only sings when she's feeling an extraordinary amount of passion. She last performed a song when her first love left for the military three years ago. She's not heard from him and is slowly giving up hope.
Beyond that she's your typical octopus merfolk. Her species derives from the small but formidable Blue Ringed Octopus, an otherwise average looking octopus that sprouts vibrant blue rings all over its skin when threatened or agitated. Like her animal counterpart Nemo has a very toxic salivary defense (of course when threatened or agitated) in her bite.​

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